Issued by: Government Communications (GCIS)
On behalf of the Council of the South African Pulmonology Society I wish to express our whole-hearted support for the Tobacco Products Control Amended Bill, notice no 1682 of 1998 as published in the Government Gazette dated 14,8/98, Volume 398, No 19158.
We applaud the initiative by the Ministry of Health under your leadership. As an organisation that is committed to improving the respiratory health care of the population, the South African Pulmonology/Society acknowledges the serious adverse health effects of voluntary and involuntary (passive) tobacco smoke exposure. South Africa is faced with numerous challenges in terms of the health care of its population. These include the HIV/AIDS and associated tuberculosis epidemic, occupational health problems and limited access to health care for the population at large. Whilst these issues might be considered priority matters, we firmly believe that it is not an excuse for complacency regarding the adverse health effects of tobacco smoke exposure. It is no secret that multinational tobacco companies have targeted third world countries for marketing tobacco products because of the pressure imposed on them in first world countries about the health effects of tobacco smoke and consequent reduction in sales in those countries. It is immoral to allow citizens of developing countries to be exposed to one of the most preventative disease promoting agents viz. tobacco smoke. It is therefore the moral responsibility o governments of these countries to protect their citizens (often voiceless) from these toxic exposures.
Tobacco smoking is an addictive habit. People who are addicted have great difficulty in giving up tobacco smoke and the smoking cessation strategies have at best an approximately 20% success rate. Thus it is important to ensure that children are not exposed to marketing forces that promote smoking behavior. The Tobacco Products Control Amendment Bill addresses this issue in a substantial way by banning smoking in public places, tobacco advertising, overt sponsorship of sporting events and substantial penalties for contravention of the Tobacco Products Control Act.
The potential loss of revenue from the anticipated decline in tobacco sales and loss of sponsorship particularly for sporting events must be viewed in the context of the escalating health care cost of treating tobacco related diseases like cancer of the lung and other organs, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, peripheral vascular and ischaemic heart disease. The prohibition of smoking in public places except in specifically designed zones would also contribute to the reduction in the effects of involuntary tobacco smoke exposure. It is also of concern that there is an increasing trend in smoking behaviour amongst women and it is already manifesting itself in increasing lung cancer rates amongst women. This Bill is particularly timeous in an era when women's health is being promoted.
The Tobacco Products Control Amendment Bill is applauded by the South African Pulmonology Society and we wish officially to express our committee support to the Health Ministry in this regard. We are proud to be associated with a Health Ministry that has chosen to lead rather than follow.
Yours sincerely Signed by: Umesh Glalloo President: S.A. Pulmonology Society Professor and Chief Specialist Head Department of Medicine University of Natal e-mail address: LALLOO@.MED.UND.AC.ZA